Responses by Yannis Konstantinidis, cofounder and director, NOMINT.
Background: The film “Up in Smoke” for the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) focuses on the pressing issue of climate change driven primarily by the continued use of fossil fuels. It’s designed to resonate with a global audience, encapsulating the critical message of the environmental impact of fossil fuel use. The film is a part of our ongoing campaign with WWF, following our previous films, “Can’t Negotiate the Melting Point of Ice” and “A Flammable Planet,” that used ice and fire respectively to symbolize environmental challenges.
Design thinking: We chose to use smoke in stop-motion animation to symbolize the chaotic, uncontrollable nature of pollution and environmental decay. This creative decision reflected our goal to make the climate crisis visually tangible and emotionally impactful, extended the narrative style we established in our previous films.
Challenges: Working with smoke, a medium that’s unpredictable by nature. This presented unique technical challenges, especially in integrating it seamlessly into our stop-motion animation process. The complexity of this medium pushed our creative and technical boundaries.
Favorite details: I’m most proud of how we captured the essence and movement of smoke, turning it into a narrative element. This detail not only enhanced the visual storytelling but also poignantly symbolized the pervasive nature of air pollution.
Specific project demands: All our films for WWF are launched globally at each year’s COP and adapted by WWF’s 80 local office. This means that we face the unique challenge of crafting a universally resonant message that transcends cultural barriers. Finding the right balance of relatability and abstraction is always a complex but worthwhile task.
Visual influences: Our visual approach was heavily influenced by the real-world impacts of climate change. We wanted to create a haunting, yet authentic representation of the environmental crisis, drawing inspiration from the actual effects of pollution and fossil fuel consumption.
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